Concrete block machine



March 19, 1940. F. x. Mui-:NZER 2,193,879

CONCRETE B LOCKYMVACHINE Filed May 12v, 1938 3 Shets-Sheef l atten/mujeMarch 19, 1940.

, F. x. MUENZER CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed May 12., 1938 l 1 vu on to@Ham? X27 V//1 Mae/7 ger March 19, 1940. F. x. MuENz-:R

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Filed May 12,4 1958 3 Shets-Sheet 3 Hwy/7A' XaVier Mae/75er Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE Application May 12, 1938, Serial N0. 207,555

2 Claims.

In machines of this type heretofore used, the troweling means, so far asI am aware, continuously operates during the block forming operationswhich include pressing, tamping, vibrating l or jolting the material inthe mold. It has been found in practice that there are objections totroweling the blocks during the forming period, and particularly so whenonly one side of a block is troweled, as troweling in such cases causesthe block to slump, and the vibration from the torming operation willdeilect a side of the block due to one side being more compact than theother.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of means to performthe troweling operation on either one or both sides of a block after ithas been completely formed, that is, after the pressing, tamping,jolting or vibration operation, thereby obviating the troubles andobjections which occur when the forming and troweling operations aresimultaneous.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a machine of thecharacter described, of a troweling means which is controlled in itsoperation by the block take-off means, and is autog5 matically operable,during a predetermined movement of the control for such means, to eiecta troweling of a formed block, which troweling preferably takes placeduring the raising or stripping movement of a block.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, and from the accompanying drawings, illustratingone embodiment of the invention, and in Which- Figure l is a perspectiveelevation of a concrete block forming machine embodying the invention.with parts broken away and with the block shown partly raised, themachine being of a well-known type; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on theline 2 2 n in Fig. l, with the take-off control arm shown by full linesin inoperative position and in dotted lines as partially moved to blocktake-off position and in position for effecting automatic operation ofthe troweling means; Fig. 3 is a section 5 on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, with parts broken away and withthe block partly raised and the control arm moved to initial troweling"position; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view somewhat similar to Fig. 4, withthe block completely raised and the control arm moved to the limit ofits inward stroke, and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical wiring forthe troweling means.

Referring to the drawings. I designates the u block mold having theopposed end plates 2, 2,

and the opposed interior side plates 3, 3, which are the block trowelingmembers of the troweling means embodying the present invention. The moldI is supported by a suitable frame work 4 and may include core members5, as well under- 8 stood in the art. A block formed by the mold isdesignated 6 and during the molding, stripping and take-off operationsrests on a pallet "I, as is common in the use of machines of thischaracter.

The stripping or raising mechanism for a 19 formed'block includes a setof four or more stripper pins l, which are disposed vertically below themold and when raised engage the bottom of the pallet 1 and raise ittherewith-to block take-off or removing position. This stripping meansis l common to machines of this character and may be of the hand orpower type, as desired and as well understood in the art.

The troweling means in which the present invention resides includes theopposed side trowel- 20 ing plates 3, 3, which are replaceably carriedby the web portions of U-shaped or channel strips I0 which extendlengthwise of the mold at the respective sides thereof with theirchannels facing outwardly. These channeled carriers for the 25 plates 3are each guided by upper and lower sets of rolls II, respectively, whichare carried on respective studs projecting horizontally from the sideportions of the mold frame work with the top set of rolls engaging underthe top flange and the lower set of rolls engaging over the lower flangeof the respective carrier, as best shown in Fig. 4. 'I'he channel formof the strips I0 is important as imparting strength and rigiditythereto.

'I'he outward sliding thrust of each troweling 85 strip I0 is borne by aset of cooperating slide bars I2, one being carried by the strip I0 andthe other by the respective side of the mold frame I, as best shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 4. These bars, in the present instance, have V matingportions.

'Ihe carrier members IIl at one end, left in the present instance, areconnected by a cross shaft I5, which is connected at opposite endsthereof by pitmans I6 to respective cams l1 on a cross shaft I 8yjournaled in brackets I9 extending, in the present instance, from aframe upright 20 of the machine. A sprocket wheel 2l is mounted on theshaft Il at one end and is connected by a sprocket chain 22 to a smallsprocket wheel 22 on the shaft of an electric motor 24. T'he motor is 60in circuit with and controlled by a switch 25 (Fig. 6), which is locatedin a switch box 21 on the frame part 4.

. The block take-oi! arm Il, which is of a type commonly used inmachines of this character, is Il tion, as shown by i'ull lines in Fig.2 and in Fig. 4,.

the switch is open. When, however, the arm 33 has been swung inward ashort distance from such l inward position, and before the main blocksupporting finger 36 has moved under the pallet of a raised block; thecam 33 will coact with the switch control to move the switch to closedposition. which will be maintained during the complete inward movementof the arm 30 and until it has been moved outward to near its neutralposition. It is customary to provide a main block supporting finger 36and one or more shorter fingers -31 which, upon an inward swinging ofthe take-off arm, will pass under a raised pallet, and upon an outwardswinging of the arm carry the pallet and supported block to take-offposition, as well understood in the art.

It is apparent with this manner of control for the troweling means thatthe take-offA arm 30 may be moved inwardly sufficiently to close theswitch 25 at any stage in the block forming or stripping' operations. Itis preferable, however, to permit a block to be completely formed beforestarting the troweling means and then to start the troweling operationeither before effecting a raising or stripping movement of the block, orduring such movement, depending on the extent of troweling desired. Itis also apparent that a block may be troweled on one side only, which ismodifications and changes without departing from the spirit of theclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. A machine of the type set forth, includingtroweling means, means tomount the troweling meansfor troweling movements, take-off means,including a rotatable shaft means to mount the take-off means formovement to a position underlying the pallet of the block, means toactuate the troweling means, and means carried by the shaft andassociated with the take-oi means whereby upon partial movement of thelatter preparatory to its final operative position, vthe actuating meansof the troweling means will be rendered operative and upon continuedmovement the take-off means will itself be moved to operative positionto underlie the pallet.

2. A machine as set forth in claim l, wherein the rotatable shaft of thetake-olf means is substantially vertically disposed and has take-offmembers thereon, and wherein the shaft has a Y cam associated therewithwhereby upon partial turning of the shaft the cam will effect operationof the actuating means of the troweling means. FRANK XAVIER MUENZER.

CERTUPICATEV 0F CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,195,879. v March 19, 19m.

FRANK XAVIER MUENZER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring .correction as follows age l,first column 'before line l, insert the follwing paragraph Thisinvention-relates to machines formaking concrete block,

and particularly to those of the block troweling type..

and that the said Letters Patent should be read v-vith this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day-of April, A. D. l9l0.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Comissioner of Patents.

